Albus Potter and the Book of Malevolent Curses
by Vonlichtinshtine
Summary: Young Albus enters his first year in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Like his father, having a 'normal year' at Hogwarts  normal by Hogwarts standards of course  will prove to be impossible.


**Chapter One**

**The Journey to Hogwarts**

Albus and James sat in a compartment next to a window where they leaned out so their mother could kiss them good bye.

"Alright dear," she said to Albus. "Have a good term."

"Remember what i said," said Harry.

"And James," said Ginny. "Have a good term too, look after your brother . . . and behave yourself."

"Yeah okay," said James.

A whistle sounded and their sister sniffled again.

"Don't worry we'll send you loads of owls," said James.

The train began to move and Albus and James waved their parents and Lily goodbye. Lily ran alongside the train until it picked up too much speed then she fell back and waved.

They watched as their family and the platform disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Albus sat in his seat excited but also nervous.

"Wait 'till you see the castle," said James enthusiastically. "And the Quidditch pitch, it's a real full size field. I'm able to try out this year too."

Albus's mind was elsewhere at the moment. He was excited to finally go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but he was also nervous about the sorting ceremony that would be taking place in just a few hours time. He remembered his father's words. Had he been telling the truth? Did he really have a say in which house he was sorted to?

Just then the compartment door bursted open making Albus jump. A girl with bushy red hair tried not to laugh as she said hi. It was Rose Weasley, their cousin.

"I'm gonna say hi to Victoire and Dominique." she said. "Wanna come?"

"Sure," said James. "Al?"

"Maybe in a bit," said Albus.

"Suit yourself," said James and they both left the compartment.

Albus wanted to be alone for now. He stared out the window at the trees and houses whizzing by when the compartment door slid open again. A boy with slick back blonde hair and a pointed face came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" He asked pointing to the seat opposite to Albus.

Albus shook his head and the boy sat down held out his hand.

"I'm Scorpius Malfoy," he said in a drawling voice. "Our fathers knew each other."

"Oh . . . yeah," said Albus shaking his hand. "you're father's Draco right?"

Albus of course heard of Draco Malfoy. A wizard from Slytherin who seemed to be his father's worst enemy. But as time went on they made amends somehow. His father said that Draco was just _misguided_ at times.

"Indeed," said the boy. "It's my first year too. I believe it's yours right?"

"Yeah," said Albus simply.

"I take it you'll be wanting to go to Gryffindor then," said Scorpius.

"I haven't really thought about it," Albus lied.

"Well I'll be hoping for Slytherin myself," said Scorpius glancing out the window. "My father tells me that too many mudbloods gave it a bad name. That it's time for a few good wizards to restore it to it's former glory."

Albus simply nodded not completely knowing what a mudblood was. He's heard it once or twice but never paid it any mind.

"Have you practiced any magic yet?" Scorpius asked.

"Not really," said Albus. "I mean, me and my brother and sister play Quidditch with our cousins and there's things I've done on accident but I haven't practiced."

"Well with your name I'm sure you'll catch on fast enough," said Scorpius.

While they had bee talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of caws and sheep. They were quiet for a time watching the fields and lanes flick past.

Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor, and a smiling dimpled woman slid back their door and said "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Albus had been waiting for this. His father gave him some coins and he was not exactly starving but eager to be able to buy any candy he wanted. He and Scorpius made their selection buying some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties and Licorice Wands.

Now as they talked over a mound of candy their favorite Quidditch games and who's collectable wizard card they got in their chocolate frogs, Albus forgot about feeling nervous about the sorting ceremony.

"Oh," said Scorpius with a surprised look on his face examining a card.

"What," asked Albus curiously. "Who'd you get?"

"Your father," said Scorpius showing Albus the card that indeed showed the fully grown Harry Potter leaning on the frame with crossed arms and a smirk. The Lighning scar was partially covered by his messy jet black hair.

The back of the card read:

Harry Potter

CURRENTLY AUROR FOR THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

Held many achievements prior to becoming an Auror for the ministry, including

being the youngest wizard to win the tri-wizard tournament and defeating He-

Who-Must-Not-Be-Named once and for all. But his greatest achievement of all

is being the only wizard to survive the killing curse casted none other than He-

Who-Must-Not-Be-Named himself. Harry enjoys Quidditch and spending time

with his family.

Albus has seen the card before. He remembered the first time when James found it in a Chocolate Frog he bought himself. He showed his father who said that he couldn't believe it and that they put him on a card too early.

"I don't have him in my collection yet," said Scorpius opening another frog. "Oh, Morgana. I have her. You?"

"No," said Albus simply.

"Have it," said Scorpius tossing him the card.

"Whoa," said Albus catching it. "Thanks."

Just then the compartment door slid open and in came James and Rose.

"I told you she was with Teddy," said James to Rose. And Fred Weasley joined him. He was the son of George and Angelina and in James's year.

But Rose froze at the sight of Albus and Scorpius sitting across from each other.

"Oh hey Scorpius," said James taking the seat next to him. "First year huh?"

"It is," said Scorpius.

"Let the hazing begin," Fred said smiling.

Rose said nothing but slowly took the seat across from Scorpius eyeing him suspiciously. Unlike Albus and James, her father downright hated the Malfoys. Her mother on the other hand didn't want them to start the year off hating Scorpius just because they never got along in school with his father. Never the less she still felt uneasy around him.

As more time passed by the train began to slow down.

"Well we better change Al," said James.

Rose was already in robes so she turned to leave the compartment but she gave a last look at Scorpius and said "don't you have some Slytherins to play with?"

"Not really," said Scorpius. "Like I said I haven't been sorted yet. But I do hope that Slytherin will be my house. My father said that some mu- . . . wizards-"

"Some what?" asked Rose dangerously.

James, Albus, and Fred stared in silence not knowing what to say.

"He believes it's been given a bad name," Scorpius finished.

"He also believes that no muggle-borns should be allowed to use magic as well," said Rose her face now as red as her hair.

"Rose," said James in a calming voice. "We do need to change you know."

Rose spun on her heel and exited the compartment leaving James, Albus, and Scorpius alone.

"Good call," said Fred.

"Sorry about her," said James. "It's uh . . . "

"Past history," Scorpius finished for him. "It's alright. My father told me all about it."

They took their jackets off and pulled on their long black robes as a voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train. It will be taken to the school separately."

As they all sat and Rose rejoined them, Albus's old nervous feelings that he had forgotten about once again rejoined him. But this time he did feel that corpus had a point about the Slytherin house. All bad wizards didn't all come from Slytherin, just the worst of the worst. But it was those few that had given it a bad name.

The train finally came to a stop. People pushed their way out the door and onto a tiny dark platform. Albus shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students and Albus heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over hear!"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of students.

"C'mon follow me-any more firs' years! Mind yer step now! Firs' years follow me!"

Albus, Scorpius, and Rose waved to James and Fred and followed the slipping, stumbling group of first years down a steep narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Albus thought there must be thick trees there. As they walked Albus saw Roxanne Weasley. She was George and Angelina's daughter and also a first year. She joined the three of them who were all very quiet.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, it's windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat," Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Albus and Scorpius were followed into a boat by Roxanne and Rose.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - Forward!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached and kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"And how've yeh been," said Hagrid to Albus, Rose, and Roxanne. "All right."

"Of course Hagrid," said Rose.

"Blimey and yeh look like your father young Malfoy," he said leading the first years to a flight of stone steps.

"Thanks," said Scorpius gazing up at the castle.

At the top of the stairs was a huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here now?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.


End file.
